


We belong

by Alphalover



Category: Superman & Lois (TV 2020)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-15 11:06:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29807457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alphalover/pseuds/Alphalover
Summary: While this may seem a continuation of 'I fall behind', I didn't want to turn it into a chaptered story. This is thoughts, and variations on themes.
Relationships: Jon Kent & Clark Kent
Comments: 1
Kudos: 44





	We belong

“Oh Hey, “ Jon said with false insouciance coming down to see his brother and father in quiet ( _super-ears only? )_ conversation.

Red hot jealousy threatened to choke him. His mother, of course, was at work. He’d known with bone-deep certainty that his father and Jordan were here together, maybe a latent half-kryptonian thing, or maybe a lifetime of knowing them both. God - he’d shared a womb with Jordan, and thinking on that, was ridiculously grateful that Jordan hadn’t had powers in utero. How dangerous had it been for their mother to carry half Kryptonian babies? He shuddered inwardly at asking such an incredibly embarrassing question.

“Did we wake you,” his father asked, watching him intently. Jordan gave him his usual quick smile - there, a moment, and then gone. Normal for him, but the guilty flush on his neck was new.

_Don’t feel guilty you twit, that makes it worse._

“Were you talking?” His voice dripped sarcasm.

Now Clark flushed red.

“I mean come on. Don’t act like I could have heard you,” he found himself snapping and regretted it immediately. The only power I have is the power of not caring.

Jordan flushed again, not realizing his father and he were talking sub vocally before. Were they? Perhaps. He’s ask later.

“Um… I mean - if -“

“Jordan never mind. Don’t worry. It doesn’t matter. I was joking.”

“But -“

“I said, forget it!”

The last week had been very much this. Jon sarcastic, short and angry when Lois not present, and acting as though he was normal.

But Clark was a longtime journalist who knew how to read people. He also understood that Jon was in a solid self-protective mode, and could only emerge if nobody commented on it. As much as Jon and Lois might remark that not having his powers made life easier for them in so many ways, his abilities were pretty awesome and Jon would resent Jordan having them, if he didn't. 

“You don’t have to yell,” Clark decided to go for normal as well. If he was too nice to his son, Jon would think he was being handled.

“I shouldn’t have to repeat myself, then should I? I mean, don’t you guys have total recall or something?”

“I - could tell you more about what I can - and can’t do - if you -“

“No!” His voice held a tenor of strained fear. “I wouldn’t want to interrupt whatever this is,” he said, gesturing harshly at them together, making to jump up.

Clark put a gentle hand on his forearm. Jon noticed that the firm pressure was normal - normal human, and didn’t feel like restraint. Although Jon had impulsively hugged his dad that night of the bonfire, he'd been in ‘protect Jordan’ mode, and seeing his dad had made him feel safe.

Now that he was in this jagged emotional space, contact with Clark felt like contact with some untouchable celebrity. Superman was an Uber-celebrity after all, and probably didn’t like being groped. _No. Dummy. He’s your father. He was superman when he held you as a kid - you just didn’t know. Should I stay away from death laser eyes?_ He quickly glanced at Jordan, who refused eye contact. _Can they read my fucking mind?_

Back to the whole greek god metaphor - it felt wrong to touch Zeus.

_I need to stop reading those books._

“Please don’t go.”

As children living under their parents’ roof, Jordan and Jon both knew they were adhere to family rules - a normal expectation. The rules weren’t unreasonable. But if your parent insists on talking to you, you generally were supposed to listen without being a jerk. Their mom was stricter about her edicts, but she spent more time with them, and they never minded. Clark on the other hand had allowed a lot of disrespect - mostly from Jordan, because of his mood disorder, and Clark’s own guilt at never being there. Now that it was all out, how would his dad take his other son’s … _his lesser son’s_ … new hostility.

He got up, testing his father's hold. With nothing restraining him, Jon wandered towards the door, not looking back. _But he could keep you here, if he so desired. It's all at his whim. Everything._ He could feel Jordan, though, and that was always the case. Not a kryptonian thing, he hoped… and not even a twin thing, but just knowing someone your whole life, and having the same life experiences with them gave you a form of psychic link.

He went outside, and _superman_ followed him. Just thinking it kept throwing him for a loop. In subconscious self-protection, he wrapped his arms around himself defensively, noting the narrowing of the other man's eyes as he did so.

“We were waiting for you to come down… and if you want to be left alone , obviously that’s your choice, I just hoped -“

“What. That I could watch you teach Jordan -everything you know?”

“Jon, he’s dangerous if he’s not taught how to use these abilities - how to control emotion. I have no choice … and we can’t train here without risking others’ safety.”

“You mean mine.”

“And Lois’s - Smallville too,” he said. “I really don’t want Kyle coming by a third time.”

“Anything he did, you could undo - I’ve seen the footage.”

“If he smashes down a building? Not so easy to fix. I know it’s strange. - and your mother was right , I should have told you when you were younger. You had every right to know that you’re half kryptonian."

Jon paused a moment, feeling a sense of pleasure at being included in the set of all the who are half-kryptonian. He might not have the powers, but he was still Demi-god, right? Still worthy of Clark's love and attention... and even praise?

“Before one of us got all the candy in the piñata, eh?” 

Clark was silent. “Not even just because of that. I held back who I was from my own kids. That’s not cool on any level. Worse, I held back who you were. You and Jordan are unique in your genetic mix.”

Oddly, those words gave comfort.

“I know, dad. I’m sorry. I … go ahead. Really. Do whatever. I mean - really. I’ll go for a run.” He trailed off thinking of all the times his parents ran with him. “That must have been … limiting for you.”

His father reached out and gripped Jon's shoulders - again with normal pressure. Clark's gaze grew intense.

“Spending time with you three is all I ever want to do with my time. Full stop. If you believe otherwise, I've failed you worse than I thought. And… one day you’ll both have moved on into your adult lives, and i'll be calling you a lot, asking for your time.”

How did his father even know that the was thinking about that earlier - how his father couldn’t possibly value him, the weak one?

Emotion clogged Jon's throat, and he fought to speak past the blockage.

“Do you really want to spend time with me, now that you know I’m not like you? I mean why? You’ll probably outlive me, you know.”

Clark grew ashen at that thought and Jon was taken aback. Clark's grip tightened (again, with normal human pressure) and his hands trembled a moment. _He really did care._

“I can’t even think about that. Seriously, you three are _my life._ Without you… I don’t know how I could go on, and I try not to think that I could outlive you… I just… can’t.”

Clark released his hold, realizing he was on the edge of letting his emotions get the better of him. Not that he'd ever hurt his family this way before, but... he didn't want to take risks.

“I’m sorry… I - shouldn’t have…”

“You can say _anything_ to me. I am your father.” He gave the Darth Vader inflection and Jon smiled despite himself.

“Oh my god, does that make Jordan Luke Skywalker?” Wait.. then who am I? Don’t say Leia."

“Just because he’s developing my abilities doesn’t make you _less_ my son. I know you feel like you can’t matter as much … and no, I can’t read your mind. I swear. What I can do is refer to my own past as well as your mother's past. We both know what it’s like to feel inadequate. Both of us, for different reasons. And you can hate me for putting this out there, but aren’t you supposed to hate me on occasion? I mean - you are 15.”

“I just… feel - like - I found out you’re a _very_ famous person -one who I’d have hesitated to talk to, if I met on the streets, and… now - “

“The disguise I don is just that. _This_ is me, and yes, I lied. So you _don’t_ know the real me, which is unacceptable and it’s my fault. What I was going to say is that Jordan and I were waiting for you, because - I wanted you both to see the fortress.”

Jon was speechless.

“Really? No. You were just going to bring him -“

“ _No_. Both my sons need to meet the AI infused with the personality for my father, Jor-El."

He was speechless now. Hearing the name... made it so much real. He was the grandchild of a Kryptonian scientist who'd sent his son away from an exploding world.

“Are you serious - me as well? Not just to humor me. Swear it to me." Jon dropped all pretense of not caring.

“I swear, “ Clark responded equally intensely, his gaze untroubled. This is when Jon knew he meant it.

“Why though? Why me?”

“You are _both_ my sons. I was waiting to do this until I told you … and I was going to tell you when you grew up a little more. I … was a coward… but eventually..."

“How much older?”

“I figured - adult. Post college. 22? Meeting Jor-El's A.I. has nothing to do with having powers. You and Jordan are my Kryptonian father's _grandchildren_. You _both_ are the continuation of a dead species. I know morbid, but you are. You are half Earthling, and. You are half Kryptonian. Both halves of your heritage are wonderful.”

“I - I don’t know -“

“Please say yes.”

“But… it’s cold, right?”

“You’ve been there before. And yes - dress warm, but the fortress itself is climate controllable.”

“So you can make it comfortable.”

“Your mom’s been there many times.”

He shuddered at that, not wanting to know too much about life before kids with his parents. His father’s gaze was earnest and honest. And in that moment, Jon realized he was telling him the full truth. He really wanted Jon.

"Yeah... yeah. I'll come."

"Thank you," his dad said, looking so relieved, that Jon moved in to hug him.


End file.
